Bachelor's Degree in
Bilingual Tourism

The professional with a Bachelor's Degree in Bilingual Tourism will be able to perform efficiently in the national or international field in the following work areas:

• Tourism authority.
• Hospitality administrator in hotels, restaurants or companies dedicated to receive tourists.
• Tourist guide (traditional, ecological, historical) in natural parks, hotels and resorts.
• Clerk in travel agencies.
• Tour package planner in travel agencies or independently.
• Online tour package manager.
• Customer service manager at airports.

• Original and copy (collation) of high school diploma and credits approved by MEDUCA or its equivalent (in case of being a foreigner, the documents must be apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the respective country and have the endorsement of the Ministry of Education of Panama).
• Certificate of high school credits (in case of being a foreigner, the document must be apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the respective country and have the endorsement of the Ministry of Education of Panama).
• Two photocopies of the identity card. In case the applicant is a minor or a foreigner, two copies of the birth certificate or two copies of the passport, respectively, must be submitted.
• Two passport-size photographs.
• Medical certificate of good health.
• Hold an interview with the selection team.
• Fill out the application form to join the program.

Academic index:

• The permanence in the Bachelor's Degree in Bilingual Tourism will depend solely and exclusively on the student, his/her motivation, capacity and vision to obtain the chosen academic degree.
• The academic index is the general average of the grades obtained by the student; it is unique and cumulative, and determines the student's permanence in the program. Since it is expressed in numbers, a numerical value is given to the following letters: A equals 3, B equals 2, C equals 1 and F equals 0. It is calculated based on the subjects of the study plan, dividing the grade points by the credits obtained by the student.
• Grade points are understood as the product of the multiplication of the numerical value attributed to each grade obtained in each subject, by the number of semester credits that the subject confers.
• The student must pass all subjects and obtain a grade point average of no less than 1.00 (individual 1.5 and cumulative 1.75) in order to obtain the degree corresponding to the study plan he/she is taking.

Grades:

• At the end of each academic period the student receives a final grade based on class or laboratory work (if any), regularity in attendance, tests taken and the final exam, which is mandatory. This final grade can be consulted in the official lists, in the vouchers given to the students and in each student's transcript.

The final grade may be of three kinds:

• The normal promotion grade, which corresponds to Outstanding (A), Good (B) and Fair (C).
• The minimum promotion grade, which is C and is the lowest grade with which a subject can be approved.
• The grade that does not entitle the student to promotion of the subject, which is D or F.

Attendance:

• Attendance is mandatory for students under the face-to-face modality; while for the blended modality, the student must attend at least 85% of the classes.
• On the other hand, attendance under the virtual modality is regulated by the constant interaction of the student in all the activities planned in the platform, including synchronous and asynchronous meetings, as well as the development of the student's autonomous work.
• The minimum term of permanence at the University is eleven quarters in the Bachelor's Degree program.
• Given the characteristics of the University and through the advisors in methodological fields, the student should be able to:

  Study individually and in teams.
  Research in the areas of improvement.
  Be autonomous and obtain the necessary knowledge.

To obtain the title of Bilingual Tourism Technician is required:

• Pass all subjects in the study plan with a minimum grade of C or 71 points.
• Maintain a cumulative academic index of not less than one (1.0) on a scale of one to three.
• Satisfactorily complete the 160-hour supervised internship and submit the respective report.
• Be in good standing with the institution.
  
  Final work
  It is mandatory to complete a professional internship of 160 hours and five academic field internships after finishing the technician. The mandatory academic field trips can be carried out in the following provinces:
• Province of Panama
• Province of Colon
• Province of Panama Oeste
• Province of Cocle
• Province of Darien
• Province of Bocas de Toro
• Province of Veraguas
• Province of Herrera
• Or the 5 counties
• Province of chiriqui
  Or the 5 counties
• At the end of the internship, the corresponding written report must be submitted and presented to a jury formed by the coordination and teachers of the program.
• After the presentation, the internship report must be handed in according to the instructions of the University of Chiriqui.
• Additionally, the report of the five academic internships must be submitted to the digital coordination, labeled with name, date, place and province visited, together with three real photographs of the area, where the student involved appears.
  Finally, in order to comply with one of the graduation requirements, the report of the professional practice in the area of annexes must be included.

To obtain the degree of Bachelor in Tourism Biligue:

• • Pass all the subjects contemplated in the study plan.
  • Maintain a cumulative academic index of not less than one (1.0), on a scale of one to three.
  • Maintain an average higher than 71 and have no subjects lower than 71. On a scale of 0 to 100.
  • Satisfactorily complete the professional internship.
  • Elaborate and support the professional practice report.
  • Pass the English knowledge test.
  • Be in good standing with the institution.
  • Complete and approve one of the following requirements:

  – Elaborate, support and approve a project ( degree project) in their area of knowledge.
  – Enroll and take the first four-month period of a specialization related to their career.
  – Submit and pass a general knowledge test.

Final work
It is mandatory to complete a professional internship of 180 hours, plus five academic field internships after completing the degree. The mandatory academic field trips can be carried out in the following provinces:

• Province of Panama
• Province of Colon
• Province of Panama Oeste
• Province of Cocle
• Province of Darien
• Province of Bocas de Toro
• Province of Veraguas
• Province of Herrera
• Or the 5 counties
• Province of chiriqui
  Or the 5 counties
• At the end of the internship, the corresponding written report must be submitted and presented to a jury formed by the coordination and teachers of the program.
• After the presentation, the internship report must be handed in according to the instructions of the University of Chiriqui.
• Additionally, the report of the five academic internships must be submitted to the digital coordination, labeled with name, date, place and province visited, together with three real photographs of the area, where the student involved appears.
  Finally, in order to comply with one of the graduation requirements, the report of the professional practice in the area of annexes must be included.

The student of this career will be able to enter the tourism labor market, since he/she can opt for the intermediate exit of Bilingual Tourism Technician or can continue his/her university studies and graduate with a Bachelor's Degree.

The graduate of the Bilingual Tourism Technician is characterized by having the following skills, abilities, knowledge and competencies:

Know:

• Knows the main tourist sites and attractions offered by the Panamanian market to the national and international tourist.
• Master the historical events and processes related to the main monuments and heritage sites of the country.
• Knows, locates and distinguishes the main characteristics, customs, traditions and values of the different ethnic groups living in Panama.
• Applies and manages different techniques and group dynamics during the performance of their daily functions, in order to motivate the people under their orientation and guidance.
• Knows the requirements, procedures and phases that must be fulfilled to create small tourism businesses and manage them.
• Uses the most important protocol rules for the development of events.
• Knows the main legal norms that govern tourism activity in Panama, particularly those related to tax incentives to promote tourism investment in the country.

Do:

• Applies the theoretical-practical knowledge acquired in the area of tourism to perform as an official of public sector institutions or entrepreneur in the tourism sector.
• Leads groups through sites of tourist interest.
• Knows how to express him/herself correctly in oral and written form.
• Can maintain elementary communication skills in English both orally and in writing.
• Applies the necessary accounting procedures for the management of a company.
• Executes the procedures for the management of the reservation system and ticket sales.
• Uses computer programs.
• Organizes and applies protocol rules in the organization of events.

Be:

• Possesses a sense of responsibility.
• Demonstrates leadership and solidarity with co-workers, superiors and subordinates.
• Adopts an attitude of service and quality of service as part of their lifestyle and staff policy.
• Respects human beings for their condition and comes to their aid when they are in need.
• Values Panamanian cultural manifestations as a form of the nation's heritage.

Knowing how to live:

• Will be able to analyze, reason and justify facts, and elaborate arguments to become a free being capable of learning by himself.
• Reaffirm his identity as a person in his family, community and country for his well-being and to fulfill the obligations of academic or work life.
• Demonstrate a high sense of solidarity and fairness with their behavior and the relationship they establish with others, within the family, social and work context.
• Demonstrate personal and social maturity in developing and strengthening modern Panamanian citizenship in the family, community and work environments.
• You will show understanding, sympathy, courtesy and interest for others and for other people.
• Show sensitivity to the fine arts, and to the different forms of expression and appreciation of people and cultural groups, considering the ethical and aesthetic norms that characterize society.
• Respond to questions and particular situations of daily and professional life.
• Participate in social solidarity experiences and in the search for solutions to local, national and international problems.

The Bilingual Tourism Graduate in addition to having the above mentioned characteristics of the technician profile, will be able to:

Know:

• Participate, coordinate and direct activities at local, regional and national levels.
• Identify the problems and deficiencies of the national tourism activity, presents alternatives to improve them, and takes advantage of the opportunities for the progress of this important sector of the national economy.
• Identify the problems and deficiencies of the national tourist activity, presents alternatives to improve them, and takes advantage of the opportunities for the progress of this important sector of the national economy.
• Distinguish the different levels of the tourism market.
• Manage the concepts of geography and uses them at the moment of executing business plans.
• Know the market of travel agencies, transportation and other tourist facilities.
• Know the Panamanian environmental legislation, its virtues and limitations, as well as the rules for entering and moving within national parks and other protected natural areas.
• Value the different cultural manifestations due to the importance they represent for the development of tourist activity.

• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate the activities developed in your work area.
• Participate in the design and establishment of norms, methods and work procedures for the development of activities under your responsibility.
• Design, schedules and executes tourist itineraries for the company where you work or for yourself, taking into account the time and circumstances that arise.
• Rent, quote and use travel and transportation agencies for the development of your activities.
• Program, direct, and coordinate training activities, training and formation of human resources in the area of your specialty.
• Write, prepare, and promote information on sites of tourist interest, and disseminate it nationally and internationally.

• Exercise leadership and is always motivated during the exercise of your profession.
• A person with a high sense of responsibility when performing your daily duties.
• Willing at all times to guide, lead, instruct and assist tourists and travelers with whom you interact.
• Promote and carry out creative, innovative, and dynamic activities.
• Show sensitivity to reality and to the problems that afflict the environment; is aware of the deterioration of natural resources and seeks to contribute to their conservation and restoration.

• Will be able to analyze, reason and justify facts, and elaborate arguments to become a free being capable of learning by himself.
• Reaffirm his identity as a person in his family, community and country for his well-being and to fulfill the obligations of academic or work life.
• Demonstrate a high sense of solidarity and fairness with their behavior and the relationship they establish with others, within the family, social and work context.
• Demonstrate personal and social maturity in developing and strengthening modern Panamanian citizenship in the family, community and work environments.
• You will show understanding, sympathy, courtesy and interest for others and for other people.
• Show sensitivity to the fine arts, and to the different forms of expression and appreciation of people and cultural groups, considering the ethical and aesthetic norms that characterize society.
• Respond to questions and particular situations of daily and professional life.
• Participate in social solidarity experiences and in the search for solutions to local, national and international problems.